We all know that the daily grind of an office job can leave you feeling, well, a little lacklustre, particularly when you spend the majority of it glued to your desk. It’s easy to get your head down in your laptop screen working your way through your to-do list, without getting up from your desk for a break during your entire workday.
However, as many people know, this can lead to unwelcome health problems, including back, neck and wrist pain, as well as headaches and eye strain. On top of that, it can increase stress levels and can mean you’re less likely to be getting the NHS-recommended 150 minutes of your weekly moderate exercise.
But who says an office environment needs to be detrimental to your health? Here, we’ve put together five of our top tips to help you get up from your workstation, moving more and keeping those potential health problems at bay.
1. Take regular breaks
Getting up from your desk is important to make sure you give your eyes a screen break, as well as stretching your muscles. Take a quick walk around the office as often as you can, have a stretch and get those legs moving.
2. Walking
Walking is one of the simplest ways to get active and even better, it doesn’t cost a thing. So instead of sitting at your desk or in the office canteen during your lunch break, head out for a walk. Not only are you getting some all-important exercise, your’re also taking a much-needed break from your work environment, blowing the cobwebs away from a busy morning at your desk.
3. Do a workout at your desk
We’re not talking about star jumps or lunges here (unless of course you want to!), but simple exercises that can be done under your desk without your co-workers even realising. These could include leg raises, glute squeezes and shoulder raises. The simple movements will help to keep those muscles supple, burn a few extra calories and improve your posture and strength.
4. Get your colleagues involved
The truth is, you’re probably not the only one suffering from sitting at your desk all day, so rally the troops and organise an office fitness challenge. This could be anything from a walking group to something a bit more competitive like a planking challenge – nothing like a bit of healthy competition to get people on their feet!
5. Use your commute
The majority of us rely on some sort of transport to get us to work, be it car or public transport. You can use this as an opportunity to up your step count by getting off the bus or train a stop early or parking that bit further away from your office. Even better, you could don your helmet and jump on your bike.
So, with a few simple changes to your working day, you can improve your health, keep active and make your working day that little bit more enjoyable!
